Recent Comments:
Real-world Mitsubishi i MiEV stats {Autoblog Green}
Jul 19th 2008 10:16PM Good work. I especially like the final table comparing the EV's performance in different states.
I read a few posts saying when you recharge off peak you are consuming excess capacity or spinning reserve.
Although I'm no power expert, I suspect you can realistically assumed a certain percentage of recharge is using spinning reserve.
This makes the power network more efficient and that gain should be factored into the EV CO2 emmisions.
Just a thought.
Obama nixes NASCAR sponsorship {Autoblog Green}
Jul 17th 2008 12:25AM Moderator,
Clean up this site please. It's obvious the thread has been hijaked by some wacky political fringe.
A lot of appalling, ignorant and racist views.
It doesn't befit the site and it is off topic.
Wagoner: GM didn't build hybrids because nobody wanted them {Autoblog Green}
Jul 11th 2008 10:48PM Give the man a break. His company is flushing down the toilet. He's under pressure and it's showing.
Having said that .....Get over it.....Toyota had better vision and judgement than you. That's all.
Want to see electric MINIs in your state? Sign the petition. {Autoblog Green}
Jul 11th 2008 10:38PM I don't think these are being leased because they are too expensive to make. It's more likely because they want to avoid warranty or other liability issues with this trial.
They are doing a retrofit on an existing platform. The technology is available and engineering overheads are low. They wouldn’t want to market an unrefined product widely and risk their brand reputation.
I think folks are shooting off mark with their cost estimates. There is a strong incentive for manufacturers to lay smoke screens on product costs. You would be shocked if you knew the ex-factory cost of a Mini glider.
Electric drive trains are lower cost than ICE drive trains of the same performance and production volume. They will get even cheaper with standardization. Maintenance costs for the vehicle owner are much lower with electrics. But, there is less aftermarket revenue for the manufacturer.
I'm concerned too many people still don't understand the value proposition of a battery.... It displaces gasoline use. The cost of the battery has to be calculated along these lines:
Battery cost + electricity cost - gasoline cost.
I don't want to do math here. You can choose the time period for your calculations based on the battery life and failure risk. Accounting method is your choice.
Anyhow, Chinese manufacturers already sell LiFePO batteries to EV enthusiasts RETAIL for less than $500 /KWh. These are early adopters who are generally less price sensitive ..... The raw materials can't be so expensive can they? 25 KWh is plenty battery for most users.
"You say an electric car will cost me? No problem." {Autoblog Green}
Jun 27th 2008 1:43PM While I'm in the mood to post.
I'd just like to say that Toyota have done a pretty good job "educating the market" to accept hybrid drives.
They have obviously done a wee bit of research and realised that all electric drive is a hard sell to the general public.
"Not enough range"... "battery costs too much"..."do I have to plug it in!"..."boo hoo"... "booo hooo".
Believe it or not, most (err..many) folks are relectant to pay more money up front. Even if they know it can save them big bucks 3-5 years down the road.
Battery technology is advancing, battery costs will come down. To a point when battery powered electric cars with fast recharge are the best value proposition.
Don't get fooled by the car big companies. They need to sell you something today (hybrid/ diesel...blah blah blah) or go bankrupt.
The market can (and will) be educated to understand the all electric value proposition. Although after reading some comments, I don't think it will be so soon.
The end game for 90% of customer needs is: All electric/ quick re-charge.
Eyes on the prize guys...!!
"You say an electric car will cost me? No problem." {Autoblog Green}
Jun 27th 2008 12:10PM Alex,
So I don't know what your daily commute is. But if you commute say 50 miles a day. You would probably want to buy enough battery for 80 miles range.
For the longer trips, take it easy. A breakfast stop for 30 mins and one pee break with a 10 min re-charge. You will get there.
With luck (and good government) we can have acceptable, cheaper, quick charge batteries within 5 years.
Don't mis-understand me. You will pay more up front for the battery powered car. But each year it will cost you a hell of a lot less to run than the cheap gas guzzler you wanted to buy.
After a few years you have saved back the extra money you spent on the battery car.
After that it's laugh, laugh, laugh all the way to the bank. (Middle finger to Exxon and OPEC.)
"You say an electric car will cost me? No problem." {Autoblog Green}
Jun 27th 2008 11:47AM It amazes me how so few people have grasped the total cost of ownership advantage with electric cars.
It's been said many times before that an electric car without battery will cost equal or less than an ICE vehicle of comparable performance.
It just boils down to the cost of battery, cost of gasoline and cost of electricity. You go figure it out yourselves. With a battery at $500 per KWh, I reckon total cost of ownership is just about competetive with gasoline for many US customers today. (It depends on your type of usage)
With a battery at $300 per KWh, electric drive will be cost competetive for the majority.
Don't get hung up on range. Every customer has a different usage pattern and range requirement. When the price of the battery per KWh is competetive for you. You will just buy what you want/need.
The automakers know this. They don't have the battery cost down yet. They also haven't figured out how to market the value proposition to the masses and turn a buck at the same time.
They will mis-inform, bluff and bluster you until they have viable product with go to market plan.
Patience friends. Learn more about total cost of ownership.
Altair names Terry Copeland as new president and CEO {Autoblog Green}
Jun 21st 2008 3:32AM If they are just thinking of spinning off the technology, the company should be valued accordingly and marked down.
Their technology advantage is not so difficult to play catch up with. Other battery companies are racing to develop safe and high power density batteries.
Their advantage is having a working chemistry today. They need a high volume manufacturing deal soon or they can just fade into oblivion.
BTW. Any self respecting engineering director would not put Altair batteries in their product unless they are confident of solid product support and availability. For say the next 5-7 years.
They need to partner quickly or pony up the money to establish high volume/low cost.
Altair names Terry Copeland as new president and CEO {Autoblog Green}
Jun 20th 2008 11:18PM It would be sad to write them off so early. Altair appears to have a viable product proposition. Suitable for a wide variety of applications in the portable electric drive market.
To convince potential customers. They need to show a bit more credibility in other aspects of the business:
1. Demonstrate consistent, high quality reliable product with good product support and acceptable warranty.
2. A roadmap to establish manufacturing capacity. With capability to ramp volume and reduce costs.
3. Ability to sell existing product at acceptable market rate to early adopters. (Some call this loss leading)
I don't think they have the financial backing to loss lead. They have not established a credible low cost manufacturing capability.
I also question whether they have the full range of engineering, marketing and sales expertise to go to market with this puppy.
Firefly's Oasis Group 31 batteries getting some EV fans excited {Autoblog Green}
Jan 25th 2008 9:16PM I'd like to see more companies pushing the cost/performance envelope for lead technology.
It must put pricing pressure on NhMi and Lithium ion. Consumers should eventually get a better deal for energy storage.
I guess they will test the market by pricing them slightly discounted to NhMi. If they are genuinely competive in the PHEV market, we will see better pricing when they ramp up and go for market share.
Then we might see Li ion slashing prices - roll on!
